Arthritis is the third most common chronic health condition affecting older Americans. As of 2021, 47% of senior adults in the U.S. aged 65 years and above were diagnosed with the disease. Globally, approximately 1 out of every 7 people has arthritis.
In their search to ease the pain of arthritis, people have tried many different kinds of treatments, including bloodletting and leeching, acupressure, acupuncture, cupping, and ingesting animal products, plant extracts, minerals, and metals.
What is Metallotherapy
In the mid-1800s, French physician Victor Burq observed that copper smelters in Paris were only mildly affected by the deadly cholera epidemic that was killing millions of people around the world.
Cholera is spread by bacteria in water and food. Copper is a natural antimicrobial and ancient civilizations in India, Egypt, Greece, and Mesoamerica sterilized water by storing it in copper vessels.
Burq correctly deduced that the smelters’ proximity to copper was keeping them safe. This led him to come up with the concept of metallotherapy, which uses metals or metal salts to treat disease.
Over time, physicians began researching metallotherapy for various diseases and illnesses, including arthritis.
Metallotherapy for Arthritis
The most popular metals used to treat arthritis are copper, silver, and gold. Treatments often involve wearing the metal against bare skin as jewelry or clothing. The idea is that skin contact will allow the metal’s useful properties to be absorbed into the body.
The metals may also be processed into salts and consumed either by mouth or injected into the body.
Copper bracelets and socks
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes copper’s antimicrobial properties. The medical community also recognizes copper as an essential trace element that our bodies need to absorb iron more efficiently and make red blood cells.
But there is no concrete evidence proving copper’s effects on arthritis. As such, copper bracelets around your wrist may do nothing to relieve arthritis.
Copper-infused socks on your feet, however, may have other benefits. Reports have shown that the antimicrobial action of copper socks may protect feet from fungal infections such as tinea pedis, commonly called athlete’s foot. This can be particularly helpful for people suffering from diabetes.
Silver ring splints
Arthritic inflammation in finger joints can cause fingers to lock, twist out of shape, and stop bending and straightening. Ring splints are medical jewelry designed to stabilize and support fingers, keep them aligned, and retain the shape of finger joints.
In one study, 2,231 patients with osteoarthritis wore silver ring splints for three weeks. Results showed a 76% improvement in daily function, especially in “household chores”, “opening jars”, and “lifting groceries.” The participants could also hold a pen better, do up buttons, and use a mobile phone.
Ring splints are available in every material from plastic to gold, and sterling silver is a popular choice.
The rings in the study mentioned here were made of silver, but the choice was based more on the metal’s durability, flexibility, and smoothness. Other reasons were that silver is hypoallergenic, antibacterial, and can be easily cleaned.
So far there is no scientific evidence to show that the silver itself contributed anything. Nobody can say with absolute certainty that silver improves health in any way.
Gold salts
Chrysotherapy or aurotherapy is the practice of treating diseases with gold compounds or gold salts. A widespread treatment in the 1920s for rheumatoid arthritis, gold salts were either taken orally in pill form, or injected into a muscle such as the buttock or arm.
These days, gold compounds continue to be an ingredient in many disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Research over the years has shown that while gold therapy does not cure arthritis, it can help keep it under control.
Easing Arthritis
When driven to desperation from pain, it’s natural to try anything that even suggests relief. Some tried and tested ways to alleviate arthritic pain are:
- Keeping your weight down to take pressure off your joints. Research shows that just 10 pounds of extra weight is enough to aggravate osteoarthritis.
- Picking up a hobby that requires repetitive finger movements, such as crochet, knitting, sculpting or pottery, gardening, and cooking.
- Practicing temperature therapy. You can use heating pads to loosen stiff joints, and cold packs to reduce inflammation.
The Case Against Alternative Therapies
There isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to support alternative therapies. They may have unknown and harmful side effects, or cause deadly allergic reactions. Sometimes, ingredients in alternative medicine may react dangerously with your prescription medicines.
It is best not to take any chances when it comes to your health. A licensed healthcare professional will advise you on treatment options that are medically proven to be effective. For more information and guidance, you can talk to our care provider nearest you.